While most know her (on a national level) as a finalist of NBC’s “The Voice”, Melanie Martinez has gained international notoriety of her own since her departure from the show. With a gimmicky facade (more on that later) and vocals that could “pacify”, Martinez is a darling in disguise. At 20, her freshman album Cry Baby (Atlantic Records) managed to steal the number 6 spot on the Billboard 200 back in 2015–a feat considering she received almost no radio play. Her appeal lies in her well-crafted and impactful lyrics, which are bolstered by well-timed and well-executed melodies. Seeing her live may not seem like such a thrill for fans who followed Martinez on tv, but her tour is a different experience entirely. On Thursday night Martinez showed her fans a confident superstar, one that (maybe) she was always meant to be, at New York City’s Playstation Theater.

Martinez seems to have matured quite a lot since her breakout in 2012. She is less shaky, more mature, and more accepting of how powerful she is as a recording artist; which makes it so odd that she has chosen a childlike persona to embody her image. In many ways, her look distracts–but at the core it almost seems like she’s aiming to highlight a contrast between her bubbly image and her dark personality (maybe it’s also why she has always sported a colorfully divided hairdo). Regardless of the reason for the choice, it works–and it works well. Martinez leaves a lasting impression on her audience and gives great segue for her fans to follow-suit.

Be sure to check out Melanie Martinez at melaniemartinezmusic.com.